Perfectly Imperfect
by Jiakkk
Summary: The only thing Vera Morgan had left of her dead mother were her mysterious journals. Little did Vera know they were the key to aid a certain 'Boy-Who-Lived'


Title;

'Perfectly Imperfect.'

Author;

'Jia.'

**Chapter 1**

"Goodbye, Ms. Kyle."

"Stay out of trouble, Vera." _not that she would listen._

The later of her statement was not voiced but i heard it all the same.

Ms. Kyle was a lovely lady with her greying hair and crystal blue eyes. She was the nicest person i had ever met and this was surprising considering whatever i had heard and watched about orphanage owners.

She always came to see me off at King's Cross station though she had no idea of the boarding school which i attended. She claimed she would never send me off into the unknown if it weren't for that "nice old man who dressed oddly." namely Albus Dumbledore.

I was a witch.

I wasn't aware of this bit of kowledge until five years ago when Professor Dumbledore who was the headmaster of the boarding school i attended, Hogwarts, came to deliver my acceptance letter into Hogwarts.

Along with being a witch i was also a mind-reader.

_Oh i'll miss the poor dear._

Ms. Kyle gave me one last hug before leaving.

I quickly passed the barier that divided the Hogwarts world and the muggle world and the distant _hum _in the back of my mind intensified. I was more prone to hearing the people of my kind rather than muggles. Thick smoke emitted from the eons old Hogwarts express obsecured my view for a while but soon i could see my way clearly.

A little girl i passed kept repeating _Ravenclaw _in her head like a mantra. I tuned into a voice a couple of feet away from me. Harry Potter. His thoughts were jumbled but the name _Sirius Black _ popped up into his head every once in a while.

_I need to tell Ron and Hermione. _he thought. Then his thoughts took a turn. _Why would i look for a man who wants to kill me?_

Beats me what he was on about. Of course i had heard of Sirius Black and according to Arthur Weasly he was out ot get Potter. Kill him to be more precise.

I boarded the train and went to find myself a compartment at the back of the train. It was nearly eleven but I knew it wouldn't be until the last minute before the train left that i would see my friends.

Katherine Zafrina and Laura Morgan were my dorm mates. We had an unspoken agreement of them sitting in my compartment every year.

All the compartments were empty near the back except for one. The last one only had one occupant. The compartment door was open and there sat a man. What was a adult wizard doing on the Hogwarts express?

I took a seat in the compartment opposite to the one occupied by the man and effortlessly tuned into his thoughts.

_I should have practised a patronus before leaving ... Full moon is in two weeks ... first lesson is with third years. if i'm not wrong Harry should be about in third year ... ... Sirius - i should sleep... it's going to be a long ride._

The wizards thoughts were of no interest to me. They were regular thoughts of a regular person regarding people i did not know. This was probably the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. He was slightly nervous and anxious. I sincerely hoped he didn't suck like the rest of them.

His dreams had big beasts like gaint dogs or more like wolves. His dreams scared me but soon i realized that these dreams were a terror to the man then they were more to me. I tried to block out his dreams and thoughts but this was proving more difficult.

_A silver orb hanging in darkness- the full moon but it was more sinister. Amber eyes of the beast that was scaring him..._

But somehow this beast was a part of him-.

I was growing frustrated. Why couldn't i block his thougts?

I broken from reverie when Katherine and Laura dragged their heavy trunks through the train. Their chatter audible to me even from a far.

"The puppy had fallen into the lake and Dad said it would die!" Kitty spoke.

"Then?" the animal lover, Laura asked anxiously.

"Well, we called the vet of course and the puppy was fine in the end. Dad says i can keep him, though."replied Kitty.

"Oh Thank Merlin!" Laura exclaimed as they reached my compartment.

Laura gave me a hesitant smile while Katherine, who insisted upon being called Kitty, simply ignored me and they both sat opposit to me.

They chatted with each other after polite inquiries about my summer. Soon they were both engrossed in magazines and i noticed that Harry Potter and his two friends now sat in the compartment with the wizard. I tuned into their thoughts and conversation hearing one's words in the thoughts of the other and the man, now awake, listened to them without them knowing growing more and more worried with every word Harry spoke.

_"I am not worried about you. Being who you are i doubt you will ever be safe from danger. You are Slytherin's descendant but not_

_the only one as i have told you more than once. Dont let your inner Slytherine cloud your mind or personality. You are who you are and your heritage is nothing more than trouble for you. I am sorry._

_Your father is a great man. He wants nothing to do with evil or the dark arts. To keep myself and him safe i am planning to send you to an orphange in the muggle world away from him. I know the truth can't be hidden from you forever. Having magical blood in your veins wont let me keep you away from trouble. You are trouble, Vera, and trouble will find you where ever you go. _

_There is one person who you can trust with your life. He knows our secret and would love you like his own daughter if you ever were lucky enough to meet him. For chances are very thin that you would even survive your first year at Hogwarts._

_This man is Sirius Black, your godfather._

My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as i read my mother's neat writing. I was reading absentmindedly from one of my mother's journals having known all of this since i learnd how to read. My mother had written over ten journals bearing information which occording to her would be useful in my "_peril-filled life." _At the time i had thought it was rubbish stories my mother had written for my amusement like the four founders of Hogwarts and witches and wizrards and magic all together. It wasn 't until my elevnth birthday that i believed what my mother had written was true.

This was my mother's first journal which i hadn't read since i was thirteen and now the name of Sirius Black sent a spark through me which felt awfully close to anger. My mother asked me to trust a

"Convicted bloody murderer!" i yelled.

The girls stared at me oddly.

"Engrossing novel," i said in the form of an explanation.

Laura shook her head.

Kitty opened her mouth but before she could say what i knew she was going to say I heard Ron Weasley from the other compartment.

_Is it just me or is the train stopping?_

He was right. The train had stopped.

"I dont feel so good," murmured Kitty,suddenly.

Reading up on my special ability i had found that it was so rare that it was close to being non-existant in the Magical world. There are spells which are close to mind-reading like Leglimancy but to read a mind with in a mile or to simply tune in like a radio to the thought you want to hear was not heard of.

I had, therefore, prepared myself to alot of unusual experiences but this one took the cake.

The dementors were few feet away but getting closer. Cold swept through pinching my heart's core. I felt as if i would never be happy again. Every unhappy thought I had ever thought poked in every angle of my brain. Hurting me.

They were getting closer.

I was unaware of the glances Kitty and Laura exchanged as they watched me and huddled closer. I was in the mind of a dementor now. With my weak resistance the dementors were causing it was near impossible to block the thoughts of the dementors. They were searching for something ... no someone. Hunger. The happiness stung their throats making them thirsty to drain the happiness.

They were on the train now.

It was as if I was the dementor. Their thoughts so overpowering i couldn't think for myself. I could see through their eyes. Everything was dim and dark. Somewhere in my clouded mind it registered that the train was completely dark. They were still searching but it wasn't the search for that person that drew them near the end of the train. It was hunger. I hated happiness. I loved the dark. The fear that was now in every heart of the train. The cold smelled delicious. Yes, darkness. My vision grew dimmer and darkness enveloped me.

Before passing out i heard a sound. It sounded like a lullaby. A beautiful voice. A Voice that scared me.

**Chapter 2**

'Vera, wake up! Vera!'

I opened my eyes to Laura's franctic cries. It confused me. What was wrong?

Then it all came back. The hunger. The cold.

I shuddered violently.

"What _was_ that?' Kitty asked, her thoughts played my fainting scene over and over.

I sat up rubbing a hand through my dark red hair, messing it up. I blinked my eyes a few times adjusting to the light.

"A dementor." Laura replied

"Where did it go?" I asked, aloud.

"There was a bright light from outside the compatrment and then it was gone. Oh, it was right outside our compartment!" Kitty explained.

_Í _should _have practised a patronus before i left. Good thing i had enough happy thoughts. Harry should proabably have some chocolate. I know it helps, _thought the wizard.

He must have performed the incantation. His thoughts hit my brain like a bullet. I had no way of blocking them. This disturbed me greatly because i could not block the dementors either. Through out the whole ride to Hogwarts i had tried everything i could to block the professor's thoughts. I heard as the Professor explained to the three third years about the dementor. I shuddered as he said it fed off darkness and despair.

Soon we were at Hogwarts and i had taken my seat at the Gryfindor table. Hearing the thoughts of the first years who were down in the Entrance Hall reminded me of my own sorting. The sorting hat had been strictly opposed to me being in Gryffindor house.

_"Morland, Vera." Professor McGonagall called._

_I shakily ran over to the stool and sat down. Professor McGonagall dropped the hat on my head. The old hat fell over my ears._

_"Hmm... another heir of Slytherine. Slytherin it is, I say. You have great potential and Slytherine will help you exercise this potential to the fullest. Evil is written in your destiny. Slytherine has produced many great wizards. Evil but great. Why should you be any different?'_

_"If you sort me in Slytherine, now, Mr. Sorting Hat, It might be the greatest mistake in all of your sorting history."_

_"And why is that?" he asked._

_"I think you already know."_

_"Well, I stand by my decision -"_

_"_SLYTHE-_!" he shouted aloud but was cut off by my pleading._

_'No, please, what will my mother think of me! I promised her! I dont know when but i did! Dont sort me into Slytherine. Anywhere but Slytherine!"_

_"Oh well, I haven't sorted Irina Gaunt now, have I? If not Slytherine then i think your father should shine in this case you must be sorted into -"_

_"_GRYFINDOR!"

_I exhaled a sign of relief._

You better me proud of me now, mother dearest.

_It could have been my hallucination but i am quite sure i heard a ghostly chuckle and a soft whisper speak, mockingly_

This is only the beginning, sweetheart.

My memory was cut short by a chuckle. It wasn't a physical chuckle, rather i heard someone chuckle in my head.

I looked up from my seat to see Professor Dumbledore smile at me. Stupid Leglimens.

He probably saw my memory. I rolled my eyes and smiled back. Then pointing to the gleaming 'P' on my chest i mouthed.

'Thank you."

_My pleasure, Ms. Morland but i think you deserved it much better than the others in your year. _

He pointedly glanced at Fred and Goerge Weasley, the latter of which was busy powdering the bread sticks with a crystal like substance.

_It's going to be hilarious when they start seeing everyone in their birthday suit._

I wonder where they got that?

I rolled my eyes when i saw a poor second year girl reach for the breadsticks.

It was then that i felt the familiar feeling of being watched. I looked up to the staff table. All the professor were busy eating or chatting except for Snape who sat glaring at the new professor. Tuning into Snape's thoughts i caught what i wanted to hear.

_Stupid Lupin and his ..._

Professor Lupin was talking quietly to Professor McGonagall. I was involuntarily drawn to their conversation. I needed to talk to Dumbledore about this problem.

The feeling of being watched intensified and fleetingly i thought of checking the whole hall to see who was staring at me before i simply tuned into the thoughts of whoever was thinking of me.

_Her eyes are really pretty... Morland's hair is nice too. _

Woah! Fred Weasley was thinking of me! Why?

I saw him staring at me absentmindedly while twirling his wand in his fingers. I wasn't going to look at him but i felt my face going pink. I tuned into his thoughts and listened more carefully.

_I can't wait for Quidditch season to start ... _There was a picture of the snitch fluttering it's golden wings in his head ... Then a quaffle ... Then a picture of me, eating spaghetti ... _I wonder if Morland plays Quidditch..._

Then he started thinking about Quidditch and looked towards his brother to no doubt discuss Quidditch.

I still felt slightly hot so i looked around the hall again and caught Dumbledore's eye again and blushing some more.

I frowned at him. He tactfully turned back to his conversation with Snape, who was looking grouchier than ever.

I leaned across the table and took a breadstick absentmindedly, thinking about my Sirius Black Delimma as i had taken to calling it.

It wasn't until i had already eaten half the breadstick that i realized what i was chewing on.

I instantly dropped it and glared at George who was now completely naked….!

I stared straight at his face and willed my eyes not to wander. He had noticed me taking the breadsticks and wondering if it worked. Fred watched my expression carefully.

"How long?" I asked smoothly.

"Whatever do you mean, Morland?" he asked innocently.

I had only glared at him for a whole five seconds until he gave up with a sign and answered.

"A whole twenty four hours?" i whispered, disbelieving.

"Yeah," He grinned "Ingenious, isn't it?"

"What, were you hoping that some idiot would think that since all of Hogwarts is naked, they should run around in this colorful attire too?" i asked, exhasperated. I had run into Fred and George Weasley one too many times. I knew exactally how their minds worked. Well, i knew exactly how everyone's minds worked. But that was beside the point.

"That was exactly what i was hoping!" George said, awed.

"How did you know?"

"Gah!' i gasped as i clamped a hand to my eyes.

Fred and George roared with laughter while i struggled to keep my eyes to myself.

Finally staring at faces helped a little.

"This is disgusting!"

_What if she tells? _

"I wont," I told Fred keeping my eyes on my plate.

"Wont what?" he asked, confused. Oops, had i replied to his thoughts?

Apparantly I had.

"You know, I wont tell. Even though i should since I am a Prefect and all." I replied.

George laughed.

"I knew you wouldn't, Morland."

But i was barely listening as i had just caught a third year boy staring at me oddly.

Ew.

"Oi! You! What are you gawking at?' said Fred.

He turned to Fred and quickly turned back to his food.

"Ha! I think you put him off," I laughed.

**Chapter 3** * * *

The next twenty four hours were torture for me. I couldn't look anybody in the eye. Whenever Fred and George caught me staring at the ceiling, they would laugh their head's off. When Defence against the Dark Arts rolled around i had finally mastered the art of ignoring the naked population of Hogwarts. And pretty much everyone was in, er, uniform. Or the lack thereof, that is.

I was twenty minutes early when i reached the Defence classroom. Professor Lupin sat at his desk reading the _Daily Prophet._

"Hello, Professor." I greeted him.

_It has been stated by the owner of the mansion that -Hmm?_

There was a crinkling sound as Lupin lowered the paper. He smiled at me and motioned for me to come in.

"Hello, Ms. Morland. Your early." he said.

I noticed that the classroom looked quite bare without Lockhart's pictures beaming down at you. It was nice.

"I have to set a good example for the younger students." I said while dropping my bag and books on the nearest seat and sitting.

_Good student. Reminds me of myself._

I guess he didn't hear my sarcasm.

He sat at his desk reading the paper for nearly ten minutes. I read the paper with him though the news bored me effectively. It wasn't until Lupin re-read the first page did i remember my mother's journal.

According to her i would be _lucky _to come across Sirius Black because he was my godfather. Something else I remembered was of interest to me. He knew our secret. What was i suppose to do if I came across Black anyway?

The first thought I had was to kill him but then i thought of Irina and she trusted him. Irina was anything but stupid and easily fooled.

Students were beginning to arrive. I made a mental note to check out Irina's journals later.

As Defence Against The Dark Arts ended, everyone was chattering about what an excellent lesson it had been. They were easily taken and comfortable with Lupin than we had been with anybody.

Professor Lupin had started with studyiong about dark creatures and defence against them even though this was advanced stuff for us i think all the students understood and happily accepted the assignment for homework without groans or complaint. The Slytherin's, though, were driving me mad with their critics. They obviously did not like Lupin because of his state of dress -which i couldn't see- by the way.

By the end of the day I was perfectly traumatized for life and Fred and George had had the the time of their life. When i finally stumped down on the common room couch i had mastered the art of keeping my eyes to myself. I stared at my lap and checked the watch. It was nearly curfew meaning the charm would wear off any second.

I signed and felt someone sit at the other end of the couch.

"We didn't mean for any older students to eat the breadsticks," he said in the form of an apology. " Who eats breadsticks, anyway?"

I resisted glaring at him and kept my eyes on my hands which were folded in my lap. Some time passed in silence.

"Will you at least look at me?" he muttered.

"Maybe in two minutes or so." I addressed my lap.

"Right."

Even though i wasn't looking at him, i could tell he was smirking.

_I think George conveniently forgot to give Morland the antidote i brewed... _

Okay, now that was plain mean. Brewed? Wow i didn't know Fred was good at potions.

"Five seconds are left." he added helpfully.

I rolled my eyes at my lap and said, "Thanks."

_1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . . 5_

My breath came out in a whoosh as i finally stared up and was glad to see my company was descent.

"Never do that again! Potions was torture!" I glared at Fred threateningly before gliding up the staircase leaving a ever-laughing Fred in my wake.

And I laughed too as i remember, wishing i could take a picture. Serves Snape right, I thought with a smirk. Maybe I could join Fred and George in their scheming one day.

**Chapter 4**

The following weekend i went out to the lake with all Irina's journals and a library book. I sat leaning against the beach tree which was decorated by couple names incircled with hearts. From a far i could see my classmates swimming in the lake. It was a bright and sunny day. Momentarily i contemplated forgetting about my search and sitting around making daisy chains and humming to myself. It was better than morbidly thinking about Black and Irina.

I picked up the first journal and started off where i had left off on the train.

_This man is Sirius Black, your godfather._

_Here I want to tell you about my house near the woodsy area in Wales. It was a little cottage more than house. The cool part is my friend Remus had charmed it to levitate a good twenty feet from the ground. I was Secret Keeper. I cant be bothered to explain to you what a Secret Keeper is and how a Fedilius Charm works! Your probably smart, look it up. We all lived their right after Sirius, Remus, James, Lily and Peter graduated from Hogwarts. Most of them had their own places to go to but we hung out most of the time at my place. Sirius was the sweet, handsome sleaze ball who had a girl to bring home every other night. Peter was the pathetic, sniveling peice of worthless garbage who was only put up with my shit because Sirius and James were here. Lily was great and she and James were married before anyone knew it and went to live at Godric's Hollow. _

_These were my friends; Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James and Lily Potter._

_There was a different story with Peter Pettigrew._

_I didn't hate him for no reason, Vera, actually when I first met him i pitied him because of the way he was treated by James-_

Ugh, i dont care about Pettigrew. I wanted to know more about Black.

Maybe this would be important to me one day but right now it bored me to death. Most of my mother's journals really did seem like fairy tales because there was no evidence or proof to support what she wrote. They were stories about how she was kidnapped by a evil wizard when she was younger. I wasn't going to believe them unless Irina told me herself, which was highly unlikely.

Though, this paragraph held a name of importance to me. Remus Lupin. Could this be Professor Lupin?

Irina had mentioned he couldn't get a job when he graduated because of a certain problem. But i saw absolutely no problem in the way Lupin taught. He was confident and intelligent heck, he was the greatest Defence teacher we had ever encountered.

I was willing to keep an eye on Lupin just in case.

I had always known Irina was friends with James and Lily Potter.

Two things about my mother remained a mystery to me; How she died and who taught her.

From what I know she never attended Hogwarts and her journals said nothing about any Death Eaters that were following her. Infact, she claimed she was on the other end of the war, whatever that meant. And she was most probably dead because she couldn't have just left me at an orphanage and left. She wouldn't do that.

I pulled out another journal and opened it at a random page.

_... Tom Riddle Sr. was bewitched by Merope Gaunt. She used a love potion to make him believe that he indeed loved her. She made him leave everything. His family, his girlfriend, everyone. When Merope was pregnant, she stopped giving Riddle the love potion. How foolish she was! As soon as Riddle was free from the bewtchment, he left her without a second thought. Now she had nowhere to go. She sold Slytherine's locket an heirloom that ran in her family - our family for generations to get enough money so that she would be able to carry the baby to term. She died at the orphanage while giving birth to Tom Marvolo Riddle A.K.A Lord Voldemort._

I Knew this too. I was directly related to Lord Voldemort. Being Slytherine's heir did not matter as much as having the same blood that ran in Voldemort's veins.

Whenever I thought of this fact, it made me feel unclean. Tainted. But as my mother said it didn't matter who I was related to or

_... what lives inside you. Keep your heart, mind and soul clean from evil._

This was one of the lines that had me stumped. Argh! This was frustrating. I skimmed through journal after journal, stopping wherever i saw in the name Black but they were just compliments from my mom to him. Finally something caught my eye that captivated me.

_No matter how Sirius may seem to you, Vera, he was pure of heart. Sure, he was rash and had a bit of a temper problem but he was always there for his friends. A year after you were born, in 1979, Peter joined the Death Eaters. I was so shocked i couldn't think straight. Why would Peter do that, I asked myself. But the answer was there as if i had lived inside his mind. He had always been underestimated and ill treated. No one looked at him twice. He had no back bone. Like I have mentioned earlier, he was a sniveling peice of garbage who did not know the meaning of loyalty. He betrayed his friends for power. I couldn't tell anyone though they all knew there was a spy among the Order. How else could Death Eaters have known . . ._

What was the real story of how the Potters were betrayed? Could it have been Pettigrew all along?

I pondered over this for a while. I couldn't be sure unless i knew the true story.

And . . . maybe i should look up on what a Fidelius Charm is?

That was the only weekend I had to sit out beside the lake and ponder because by the end of September the weather had gotten wetter and muddier. All the fifth years were swarmed with homework and studying for their OWLs. I spent most of my time in the library studying or just watching the team practise out of the window. I liked Quiddich but I wasn't very good at it.

Defence was easily everyone's favourite class and I had absolutely no problem with keeping up with my homework in that department. Potions was the easiest and I could brew a potion if I had an expert at potions like Snape in the classroom. I simply read his mind and brewed accordingly. It was cheating but there was no other way I could ace potions. I had the best grades in my year and what I was worried about was how i was supposed to prevent myself from cheating during the OWLs. So I was practising blocking people's thoughts more than usual. I would sit in the crowded Common Room before dinner and make an _effort _at blocking thoughts. I was succeeding so far and now there was only a distant hum in the back of my mind. There was something that still had me miffed. Specific people's thoughts like Harry's and Lupin's were impossible to block and that scared me. Maybe there minds were so intense it wasn't possible to ignore them.

I reached the Common Room early that evening. As I said the password to the Fat Lady and entered the Common Room a million voices spoke in my head. I concentrated on calming the voices in my head and sat on the couch near Fred and George.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Hogsmead weekend." Fred replied, an excited glint in his eyes. I smiled but the news did not excite me because I wasn't going. Serial Killer on the loose, hello.

I wandered the castle while everyone was at Hogsmead. It was Halloween so I had the Halloween feast to look forward to. I momentarily thought about studying but then thought better of it. If everyone was out having fun why should I study.

I stood as still as a statue in the middle of the corridor as I thought about something entertaining I could do but something distracted me. Footsteps up the staircase.

It was Snape.

Fleetingly I thought about hiding but there was no where to run so i simply resumed my position like a statue thinking he would overlook me as a female gargoyal. I stood with my back against the wall, not a muscle moving. My nose itched just as Snape rounded the corner.

He was holding a large steaming goblet.

_Maybe adding poison to Lupin's wolfsbane potion is a good idea . . ._

It was then that he glanced my way but to my great astonishment he simply looked away again and resumed walking ... but that was as much as I could take the itching in my nose.

I sneezed loudly.

In the silence the noise seemed to echo off the walls of the corridor. I tried to keep whatever dignity I had left and smiled at Snape who was now staring at me narrowed eyes.

"Good morning, Professor." I said in a would-be casual voice.

_Stupid, foolish, insolent brat. _

I gulped.

"Ms. Morland," he said in his silky voice "why aren't you at Hogsmead?"

"Er," I replied intelligently.

Before I could think up of some excuse he said, "Fifteen points from Gryffindor."

_One would think I get sadistic delight by torturing poor Gryfindors. Pfft... I loved a Gryffindor._

I carefully shaped my face so that I looked completely innocent.

"But-," I started just to wind him up.

"Five more points for arguing with a teacher," he said harshly.

I resisted against the smile that was tugging at the corners of my lips.

"Yes, Professor."I skipped past him and rounded the corner before he could deduct anymore points.

_What's Potter doing here?_

Just as Snape was thinking this Harry's and Lupin's thoughts assaulted me again unexpectedly. I stopped and hid behind the corner just as Snape was headed down to the dungeons after deliver that awful smelling potion

Harry was upset because he couldn't go to Hogsmead and Lupin was . . . dreading the full moon?

Did Lupin have some sort of Phobia of Full Moons or something? But it couldn't be that serious, could it?

I grimaced as Lupin drank Snape's foul tasting potion. Harry was curious as to what it was.

So was I.

Wolfsbane.

Why would Lupin drink Wolfsbane potion. It had been brewed not so long ago to help make a werewolf's transformation less painful. Since i had grown up in a muggle environment, Werewolves and anything to do with them were still a myth to me unless i came face to face with it's nozzle.

Harry's mistrust and hate for Snape made him want to stop Lupin from drinking. I listened to his honest statements about Snape. He was evil, i knew, but i trusted him not be lost in that evil.

A bit like my mother's thoughts regarding me.

Patronuses. Hmm... perhaps that was a good idea. *

The grounds of Hogwarts were snow-covered and the Black Lake froven when the next Hogsmead trip rolled around. I was thoroughly missing chocolate so i decided to go this time. I reached the entrance hall in time to see everyone head off. I signed and decided to get warmer jacket to help me get through the snow and the chill of the dementors at the entrance gate.

_Accio black jacket._

In no time at all the jacket was zooming towards me a

**Chapter 5**

The next couple of months was a blur for me. I was thoroughly engrossed in my studies and Prefect duties. The stupid Head Boy Percy Weasley was a pompous git who gave his own example to motivate us to work hard. Actually these days he was sulking a bit when Penelope Clearwater broke up with him for the third time this year.

Before i knew it the Hogwarts lake was frozen up and snow covered the grounds. Cristmas was around the corner and the first Hogsmead trip of the year was schedualed to be held next week and I had some Cristmas shopping to do. The only one I ever sent a Cristmas present to was

Ms. Kyle.

And the only Cristmas present i recieved was from Ms. Kyle. It was her duty to send Cristmas presents to those who were in the orphanage.

I woke up with a runny nose and a head ache at five in the morning on Saturday. I dragged my feet to take a shower while the water was still warm and headed down to the common room to sit beside the fire. Was it just me or what is it super cold this morning?

While I was contemplating whether i should just head back to bed and sleep, a boy -first year- by the size of him stumbled down the staircase leading to the boy's dormitory with a big red pillow in his hand.

He nearly jumped a mile when he saw me.

_Too cold. Need to sleep._

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I dont feel so good," he muttered. He was tiny. I felt a surge of pity for him.

I reached over and checked his head. He was burning up and his thoughts sounded pretty dilusional.

"Let's take you to Madam Pomfrey," I said.

_Who?_

"The nurse lady." I replied to his confused look. The boy was muggle born.

The boy was still in his pajamas as i steered him towards the door keeping my hand on his shoulder. I took him all the way to the Hospital Wing hoping Madam Pomfrey was awake. Maybe she could give me something for my pounding head ache, too.

Madam Pomfrey was mixing some Potions when I reached her office.

"Madam Pomfrey, Andrew isn't feeling well." I said immediately as we entered through the double doors of the Hospital Wing.

"Temperature I suppose, Mr. Watts. Serves you right for playing in the snow yesterday." she said without turning around.

_One spoon of Pepper-up Potion and _viola _the perfact medicine for the flu._

She turned around with the steaming blue liquid in her hand and held it out to Andrew.

"Here this will make you feel better," she said not unkindly.

"Today seems to be the coldest day of the year. A horrible day to visit Hogsmead, I would say. Heed my advice, Vera, dont go." she muttered while brewing up some more of her medicine.

"I would love to stay, believe me, Madam Pomfrey. I am freezing. But I have Cristmas shopping to do." I said apologetically.

"Will you be okay, Andrew?" I asked the boy, kindly.

"Yes, thank you." he replied.

Aw, he was so polite. I smiled at him before heading back to the common room.

It was still too early for breakfast so decided to roam around the castle for awhile to keep my self warm. I headed down to the entrance hall and from thier i started my journey. I went to the basement to find the Hufflepuff Common Room and the Kitchens. I was walking around staring at the portraits and one of the portraits had a bowl of fruit in it. The pear looked king of glum so i tickled it and viola the door opened to reveal thousands of house-elves preparing breakfast.

Before they could notice me I snuck a pancake and ran out. The Hufflepuff common room had a beavers mouth for an entrance and I obviously did not know the password.

Before I had even reached the thrid floor, it was already 7:30.

After breakfast we all headed to the entrance hall. Just as i was about to leave i felt strong sadness emenating from someone in the hall. I looked around to see Harry leaning against the staircase without his friends. Seems he blew up his aunt and his uncle didn't give him permission to go to Hogsmead.

No comments.

Cristmas was as boring as usual. My dorm mates didn't bother waking me up early so I ended up waking up at ten'o' clock. So being the moody person that I am and along with being a girl I hated the day with all the hate I could muster. I tried to reason with myself as i kicked the walls of Hogwarts' corridors, which would give out a small _ow _once in a while, that it wasn't anybody's fault that I only had my mothers' Cristmas note, which she insisted in her journals that I read every Cristmas, for company. I laughed a little to myself as i thought about this. When it was my first birthday she had written in her journal how she wanted me to be happy where ever I am while reading this and when it was my first Cristmas she had written about how she would get me a million presents of she were with me now. It was sappy but it made me want to cry. It was as if she was forced to write this because she knew I would end up being the lonely.

I appreciated the effort though and that was what made me love Irina.

I slid down against the stone wall after making sure there wasn't any gum on it. It was completely silent in this part of the castle and since I had missed breakfast there was no where I had to be. The ground was cold and after fifteen minutes i couldn't feel my backside anymore. This worried me so I tried to get up and found that I couldn't.

"What the hell?" I murmured to myself

I reached for my wand and performed a heating charm on my back and bum. After a while I could move again so I immediately got up. That was a bad idea as my hair brushed the side of the wall which conveniently had a wad of gum stuck on it. The gum was in my dark red hair now.

I cursed and then signed. This Cristmas sucked.

Suddenly I felt a presence in the surrounding area. I tensed. I looked around but I could see nothing. I could hear slow breathing and foot steps as they rounded the corner but I couldn't hear or see anything. I relaxed as I felt myself to be alone again and pulled at my hair to get it unstuck from the wall.

"Ouch!" I yelled as I felt several hair parting from my scalp.

I reached for my wand which was on the ground. I nudged it gently with the foot, as I couldn't afford any more mistakes, but I lost my footing and the wand went rolling to the other side of the corridor.

_This is a funny sight._

I looked up to see Professor Lupin stop dead in his tracks as he saw me. He looked weaker and paler than usual with dark bags under his eyes which were now alight with amusement as he watched my position. I saw my picture in his head. I looked sort of comical in a non-funny sort of way. I laughed, anyway.  
>"Hello Professor. Having a nice Christmas?"<p>

I had noticed something very odd about Professor Lupin. He was absent for a couple of days every month. Every full moon. Was this the problem my mother had been taking about? I couldn't make a connection. What had the full moon to do with Professor Lupin?

"Hello, Vera. Yes, I am. What about you?" he inquired politely while picking up my wand from the ground and handing it to me.

I stopped smiling now and grimaced.

"It sucks." I replied.

"How nice." he said,still smiling.

He pulled out his wand and without a word the gum had vanished from my hair and the wall.

"Thank you, professor." I thanked him. I was about to get up but a sudden wave of fatigue hit me


End file.
